St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Ben Frederickson joined The Ryan Kelley Morning After on Monday from Jupiter, Fla. to discuss topics surrounding the Cardinals and preview Cuonzo Martin’s first press conference as Mizzou’s basketball coach.

Read some excerpts and listen to the interview below (starts about the 5:20 mark):

On Michael Wacha’s impressive spring so far:

“Michael has been on point this spring. He’s been good…and has shown everything he’s needed to shows. But the question…is when and if the shoulder issues start to bother him. The Cardinals can’t say they know (it won’t be an issue down the line). How much can they use him? How much can he hold up? Those are questions that are going to surround him (until he shows he can hold up throughout the season).”

On Matt Adams playing outfield:

“You know it’s a slow spring training when people are losing their minds over Matt Adams shagging balls in the outfield. Mike Matheny has said because of his mobility (and dropping the weight)…they went to him and said (they like his bat and will look for ways to get him in the line-up, possibly due to a match-up or a day here and there) and asked if he’d be interested in trying to maybe sit in some outfield meetings and see if he can spend some time out there. It starts with shagging fly balls and listening. And they also need to work up his arm. Matheny said recently he wants to see him in some games…I think it’d be something you’d see in a pinch or something you see when you really want to get him in because they like the match-up. When he’s on, he can be one of their most threatening hitters.”

Switching gears….

On Cuonzo Martin’s first press conference today as Mizzou head coach:

“Cuonzo will be introduced today. I made some calls (to find out about the Michael Porter Sr. situation but nothing else has materialized). I certainly know Cuonzo has been recruiting and ripping and running since he got the job. I think once he gets settled in, you’ll see him a lot. It’s finally here, it’s happening. It’ll be interesting to see if he wins the press conference. I’m interested to see how the fan base responds to his first public comments as head coach.”